Progress in the fight against racism will only come in football when more black players become managers, England and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling says.
“The protest is a great starting point, to make your voice be heard, but just protesting alone is not going to make a change in this country.” The 25-year-old suggested. It’s about highlighting things, the society that needs changing, and then acting upon it. We’ve done a lot of talking, and it’s time now to act.” He added
Sterling said there needs to be greater black, Asian and minority ethnic representation among administrators and coaching staff in British football, and that equal opportunities should be given to former BAME players.
As an example, he compared four former England internationals making their way in management: Chelsea’s Frank Lampard and Rangers’ Steven Gerrard, both white, and Sol Campbell and Ashley Cole, both black.
Campbell’s two management jobs to date have been in lower-league football, at Macclesfield and Southend, while Cole started coaching Chelsea’s Under-15s after ending his playing career last year.
Sterling said: “The coaching staff that you see around football clubs: there’s Steven Gerrard, your Frank Lampards, your Sol Campbells and your Ashley Coles. All had great careers, all played for England.
“At the same time, they’ve all respectfully done their coaching badges to coach at the highest level and the two that haven’t been given the right opportunities are the two black former players.
“Give black coaches, not just coaches but people in their respective fields, the right opportunity. It’s not just taking the knee; it is about giving people the chance they deserve. “Sterling added.”Once we do see those numbers shifting, that’s when I’ll be happy and the people will be happy.”
Raheem Sterling calls for more Black Coaches
Ethiopian running legend Haile took part in the final day of the virtual 5km run
Ethiopia’s running legend Haile Gebrselassie took part in the final day of the virtual 5km run in Addis Ababa over the weekend.
The 47-year-old two-time Olympic 10,000m gold medalist Haile joined two current Ethiopian world champions, Muktar Idris and Netsanet Gudeta, and former world champion Gete Wami in the charity-driven event.
Haile, Muktar, Netsanet, and Gete took part in a “champions’ relay” over 5km to close the event which had opened on June 1, and has raised more than 100,000 Ethiopian birr (2925 US dollars) for Ethiopia’s fight against the novel coronavirus pandemic.
More than 500 participants including runners from around the world took part in the run which was organized by the Great Ethiopian Run.
The champions’ relay took place at the Addis Ababa Stadium and saw Haile teaming up with Gudeta, the 2018 world half marathon champion, against the Muktar and Gete, respectively the 2019 world 5000m champion and 1999 world 10 000m champion.
Haile and Netsanet covered their 5km in 16:57.26 while Muktar and Gete ran 18:56.49. The event was broadcast live in Ethiopia on Fana TV.
Haile said: “This is a difficult time not only for athletes in Ethiopia, but for the whole country. Our hope is that this race will motivate our citizens to stay fit and keep exercising while we fight the disease.”
Haile still trains daily on his treadmill at home. He has been a prominent campaigner on national media during Ethiopia’s fight against the disease. In April he featured in a campaign video to encourage Ethiopians to stay at home and practice physical distancing and spoke again to the public about the importance of measures to prevent the spread of the disease.
Ethiopian debt state drops to moderate level
In his appearance at the parliament on the extraordinary meeting PM Abiy Ahmed, disclosed that the country’s external debt has contracted to about 26 percent of the GDP from the previous 31 percent.
He said that at the current status the country’s external debt has returned to moderate level.
About four years ago the country’s foreign debt level become a high risk. “As a strong government we have improved this situation to a moderate level that is a big achievement,” Abiy said.
SMLH in solidarity with Hizbawi Serawit School
Société des Membres de la Légion d’Honneur and National Order of Merit (SMLH-ONM),
formed to strengthen cooperation and friendship between French and Ethiopian communities, launched a three-month food support project for disadvantaged students of Hizbawi Serawit School and their families.
The project that runs for three consecutive months will benefit 100 children in need of support at the school with their families. To realize this project members of SMLH, BGI Ethiopia, Capital Newspaper, Syscom Plc and other companies and individuals came together to contribute their part as their corporate social responsibilities.
For SMLH providing support for Hizbawi Serawit School is not the first time; few months ago the association has also inaugurated a tap water and hygiene facilities for the students.
At the current stage SMLH has provided a basic need support for 100 students and their families aiming to alleviate the challenges that they face in relation to the COVID 19 pandemic. Previously these students were included in the City Government of Addis Ababa school feeding initiative. The initiative provides breakfast and lunch to children who go to school.
Teguest Yilma, President of SMLH-ONM Ethiopia, during the project launch said that over 500 family members will be beneficiary of this initiative. She said that the support will continue for the next three months. “On the basis that each student will have more or less five family members, the support we organized today will feed a family for one month,” she said.
She further noted that this initiative follows the call by PM Abiy Ahmed to help those in need in these difficult times. “We come forward to help these students and their families for food supplies for three months, this one is the first of the three rounds of help that we are committed to deliver,” said Teguest.
Students and their families will get basic food items like edible oil, rice, teff, flour and sanitary products for three months until the end of the rainy season.
During the launching ceremony which was held at the school’s premises on Saturday June 6, Dagnew Gebru deputy head of Addis Ababa Education Bureau said that these kinds of support will help the students and their families to pass these difficult times. “We are very grateful for the support SMLH provided today. This will also inspire others to do their part to help our students,” Dagnew said. 
Several actions have been carried out by the members of the SMLH for the benefit of this establishment, in particular through educational projects.
Colonel Stephane Richou, devoted advocate of SMLH-ONM Ethiopia, addressing the gathering said “this corona virus pandemic, instead of dividing and scaring us, has rather brought us together, strengthening our solidarity between two old friends, France and Ethiopia, but also the world over.”
“The military mission of the French embassy is much attached to this school, because there are in this school several children of veterans of the Korea and Congo wars. Our parents and grandparents have fought together.”
“Today’s gesture where a lot of generosity was expressed is small compared to the formidable gesture that your parents and grandparents contributed for the fight for freedom,” he thanked the parents.
The Ethiopian section of the SMLH has supported the school in Addis Ababa which is located in a popular and historic sector north of the capital. Close to the French Embassy, this district, called “Farensaï”, was reserved in the 1960s by emperor Haile Selassié for the settlement of the families of the combatants who participated in the first peacekeeping operations in Korea and Congo. 
The association of SMLH – Ethiopia was formed in 2013 by the recipients of the French government’s award of the Legion of Honor in recognition of eminent services rendered to their country and the strengthening of franco-ethiopian bilateral relations.
This Section of the SMLH-ONM Ethiopia traditionally brings together the decorated of these two French National Orders living in Ethiopia, both French and Ethiopian nationals.
Since 2017 the section was joined as ‘Friends’ by those honored with French ministerial awards, mainly academic awards in arts and literatures as well as agricultural merit, maritime merit among others.
